1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power conversion device equipped with an inverter circuit and more particularly to a power semiconductor module for an inverter circuit system having a heat dissipation member.
2. Description of Related Art
Some types of conventional technology intended to increase heat dissipation efficiency of a semiconductor module by efficiently transferring heat from the semiconductor module include, for example, the cooling structure are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-175163. According to the description of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-175163, a semiconductor module is inserted in a hole formed in a radiator for inserting a semiconductor module to allow heat to be released from a surface of the semiconductor module that abuts the hole for inserting the module. More particularly, a layer of soft metal is applied on the surface of the semiconductor module that abuts the hole for inserting the module to allow heat to be released to the radiator through the layer of the soft metal.
A conventional technology intended to balance the cooling efficiency and the assemblability of a semiconductor element for use in an inverter includes, for example, the inverter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-237141. According to the description of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-237141, accommodating portions that accommodate power cards of which both sides of the semiconductor elements are sandwiched by the heat dissipation members and recycling paths that recycle a coolant around the power cards are formed, and an insulating resin is filled between the power cards and the accommodating portions and the insulating resin is cured to fix the power cards.
A conventional technique intended to improve cooling capacity with a decreased burden of assembling semiconductor modules is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-202899. According to the description of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-202899, a block is provided in which a semiconductor module is housed inside thereof and heat dissipation planes are provided on its front and rear sides to dissipate Joule heat generated in the semiconductor module. The block is inserted into the cooling water channel formed in the case so as to cause the front and rear sides of the block to face the cooling water channel.